Idaho Falls: Rezoning could impact city’s growth

Many Bonneville County residents along 49th street attended the county’s Planning and Zoning meeting.

Commission members considered an application from Rancho Coachella Properties, LP , to rezone three parcels, including 171-acres along W. 49th South St. and Interstate-15, from agriculture-1 to commercial-2 zones.

After residents gave public input and about the impact of commercial use, broad C-2 classifications, and safety concerns, the developer decided to retract the 171-acre parcel from the original application. Although this appeased residents, the city of Idaho Falls said this was a perfect example of alarming rezoning trends throughout eastern Idaho counties.

“When you start to look at (our zoning maps), really in between I-15 and Yellowstone highway west of Sunnyside Road, the city’s ability to even grow at all is really … It’s almost gone,” said Idaho Falls Planning and Building Director Brad Cramer. “It’s time to talk about planning with our two jurisdictions. We’re having a lot more areas where development bumping up against each other.”

The city said its memorandum of understanding with the city of Ammon prevents eastern expansion. Ririe and other Jefferson County communities are established to the North, which leaves room for expansion to the West and South of its borders. Cramer said room for expansion will be diminished if land developers continue to seek commercial rezoning.

Bonneville County Zoning Administrator Steven Serr said the county is allowing developers the exercise their rights as landowners.

“A lot of this is personal desire of the land owners to what they want to do and what they want to be. We don’t dictate what the developer think he needs to have or wants to have for the development of his property,” said Serr.

Bonneville County said it also hasn’t attempted any spot-zoning or the rezoning of land that isn’t already near existing commercial land.

“It’s an expansion of what already exists, we haven’t tagged out a new area and created commercial zoning that’s not similar or compatible with what’s already existing,” he said.

City officials said they understand the county is simply doing its job and working within its rightful authority. In a letter to the commission, Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper expressed this understanding, but expressed the desire to collaborate efforts. The city said it would like to continue a viable relationship with both the county and land developers before rezoning hearings take place.

“It’s time to take that next step and talk about the area of city impact and make sure the boundaries still make since, and do the standards still make since,” said Cramer.

Bonneville County notified all cities within its jurisdiction about Wednesday’s meeting.